Manipulation
by Cr8zeCorbinFangirl
Summary: Shingyouji waits to meet with Misu. And waits. And waits.


The practice before a fight was always the hardest and as Shingyouji changed into his uniform, his entire body was tired a looking forward to falling asleep in bed. He said his partings to his teammates and after accepting the words of encouragement from his senpai, walking out of the gym.

It was basically instantaneous. He had stepped out of the gym and his phone rang. He wondered who it could be as he pulled it out. Did he leave something in the locker room? Had there been homework today that somebody was asking help with? Was it close to dinner and somebody wanted to catch it with him?

Last he expected was for Misu Arata to flash past his caller ID.

_Meet me at the front of the school. I have something I want to tell you._

His heart jumped into his smile and his phone nearly broke with how harsh he snapped it shut. Shingyouji held tight to his bag and ran across the campus.

Shingyouji reached the academic building in record time, heaved over and panting on his knees. He paced back and forth as his breathing returned to normal. He looked left, right, and up ahead for Misu to appear.

Above him, he heard thunder rumble. Shingyouji felt a bit of worry rise in his stomach – he hoped Misu would come soon. He didn't want the older man to get sick.

Shingyouji didn't know how long he waited, looking between forward and up in anticipation of which would come first: Arata-san or the storm. He rung his hands in worry as time passed more and more.

The first few drops came down and the worry rose to a new level. Had something happened to Misu? Was he in an argument with somebody with somebody? Had Shingyouji been too late? Was there somewhere else that Misu had meant when he said 'front of the school'? The worries strengthened and multiplied within his head and outside, the rain fell harder and harder.

The rain felt heavy on his judo robe and it slowly pushed Shingyouji down to his haunches. He shook his head, looking every which way for Misu. _Five more minute_, he promised himself, _five more minutes and then I'll go back to my room._

It was the third time he made that promise.

Shingyouji didn't know when he had fallen asleep – he certainly hadn't meant to. But something had changed enough to wake him up.

There wasn't any rain falling on him anymore. And there was a pair of dark brown loafers right in front of him. As he scanned the body up..."Arata-san!" He shot right up, at attention. His legs must've fallen asleep – he wavered into Misu's hold.

He had an apology ready inside his mouth, but the confusion of Misu taking him and turning away from the school, back to the dorms, had him mute. As they walked, Shingyouji realized Misu had an umbrella in his hands.

Inside the dorms, Shingyouji felt bad for the heavy puddles he was creating across the carpet as Misu brought him to who knows where.

Apparently 'who-knows-where' was the showers. Misu opened his bag and removed a large fluffy robe and handed it to Shingyouji. "Go take a shower and then come to my room." He removed Shingyouji's bag and walked away with it on his shoulder.

"Wait, Arata-san...!" Shingyouji tried to call out, but Misu was still walking. Confused as he was, Shingyouji looked down at the robe. Going towards the stalls, he sent Misu a silent thanks

It was a nice, long time till Shingyouji came back to Room 270. He hadn't realized how wet he was until he heard the heavy 'plop!' of his judo robe. But the warm water had felt beautiful and he had been sad to leave it. Walking into the room, he saw all the contents of his bag strewn about the room. His phone was hidden in a bag of rice and his papers were drying beneath a fan. The bag itself was in the hamper, an incentive to throw it in his dryer.

Misu turned around, away from organizing the textbooks on a towel in Takumi's bed. He grabbed another towel and grabbed Shingyouji by the wrist. He himself sat on the edge of his own bed and pushed Shingyouji to his knees. Though his eyes were wide in confusion, he felt tingles when Misu began to towel his head dry.

"You know, you stood out there for two and a quarter hours. Why didn't you have the sense to come back when it started to rain?" Misu scolded.

Shingyouji looked up at him through the towelling. "I was waiting for you."

Misu stopped for a moment, holding Shingyouji's intense gaze. He started again and began to speak. "You were holding your breath. It was one of your teammates that wanted you sick so you couldn't compete tomorrow and he could take your place." Shingyouji froze a little, his head moving down.

Misu moved it back up to look at him, towel beneath his jaw to hold his gaze. "When I have something to tell you, I'll take the time to find you." Those tingles came back and Shingyouji saw warmth in his eyes. It was moments like this when Shingyouji was happy he fell in love with such a wonderful man.

And then, he saw black.

His head in Misu's lap, Shingyouji felt Misu's hands on his shoulds. "Shingyouji? Shingyouji! Shingyouji!"

"Can I sleep here?" Shingyouji whispered. Misu faintly felt Shingyoji's hands on his leg, hard and tight. "So warm...can I sleep here tonight?"

It was a pause, but slowly, Shingyouji felt those hands on his shoulder moved up to his head, one playing with his black hair. It wasn't long till he fell deep asleep.

The next morning, he awoke bright and energetic. He opened his eyes and realized somewhere in the night, Misu had moved them to his bed so that they may both sleep comfortably.

He removed himself from Misu's arms so carefully and picked his belongings together. His bag still in the hamper – still damp – out of the question. He'd have to come back to his own room before going to class.

He looked back at Misu, sleeping peacefully with the towel still in his hands. Shingyouji felt brave and leaned over the bed and kissed Misu's cheek. "Thank you, Arata-san." He hurried out of the room before the other could wake up.

He would never know of the leave Misu requested to see him compete.


End file.
